Today is the 34th match of IPL 16 series, today match will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH) vs Delhi Capitals(DC) in Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH) vs Delhi Capitals(DC), 34th Match

Capitals ended their losing streak but have chopped and changed regularly while Sunrisers’ top order is a worry.

Big picture: SRH, Capitals search for a quick fix to batting woes

Two teams right at the bottom of the points table will shoulder in a shot to get some instigation into their IPL 2023 crusade. It’s been a delicate season for both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals. Sunrisers are coming into this game on the back of two losses. Capitals snapped their five- game losing streak last time around, with a four- wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders.

They will hope that win signals the start of better things as they travel to Hyderabad. For that, Capitals will have to fix their batting unit, which has failed to show up. Barring David Warner and Axar Patel, not one batter has breached the 100- run mark after six games.

The problem starts up top with Prithvi Shaw, who has managed just 47 runs in six innings this season, averaging a mere7.83 and has fallen inside the powerplay each time. The middle order too has failed to get going, particularly the overseas bunch. Mitchell Marsh has six runs in four matches, Rovman Powell seven in three, Rilee Rossouw 44 in three, and Phil Salt, who came in the last game managed just five.

This has led to constant chopping and changing in the Capitals unit. They’ve made 12 changes to their side in the six games and are yet to name an unchanged XI.

The onus as such will once again be on Warner, who returns to one of his favourite venues. Warner has 15 fifties and three hundreds in 31 innings in Hyderabad and has scored 1602 runs- the most for any batter at this venue in IPL.

Sunrisers’ batting has been set up wanting as well. They’ve played musical chairpersons with their opening combination, having used four different pairs in six games. Mayank Agarwal, who opened the innings in the first five games, was pushed toNo. 6 in the last encounter, with Harry Brook and Abhishek Sharma opening.

However, the inconsistency of the top order is what will worry Sunrisers more. Barring the hundred against KKR, Brook hasn’t lit up the IPL. Ditto for Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram. Sunrisers will also hope for Washington Sundar to contribute more. The allrounder is yet to pick a wicket in the competition in13.4 overs and has scored just 36 runs with the bat in four innings.

Team news: Capitals rope in Garg for Nagarkoti

Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH)

Capitals have named Priyam Garg as a replacement for the injured Kamlesh Nagarkoti for the rest of the season. Nagarkoti, who did not feature in a single game in IPL 2023, has been ruled out after sustaining a lower back stress fracture. Garg has played 21 games for SRH across three seasons and has been picked for his base price of INR 20 lakh.

Delhi Capitals(DC)

Meanwhile, Brian Lara, the SRH head coach, confirmed the team would go with the Brook-Abhishek opening combination for a “period of time”, while Mayank plays the role of a floater. For Capitals, barring Khaleel Ahmed’s hamstring injury last week, there haven’t been any further updates. Shaw’s position in the side might come under the scanner.

Impact Player strategy

It has been a horses-for-courses strategy as far as the Impact Player goes for SRH, with no consistent pattern. In the last game against Chennai Super Kings, they had Mayank Dagar coming in for Rahul Tripathi after the first innings. If SRH bat first, they could have Tripathi in the playing XI and swap him with T Natarajan or Dagar for the second innings, depending on the surface. And vice-versa if they bowl first.

Having finally won a game, Capitals might not want to tinker with their combination unless they want a change at the top. Shaw has been used as an Impact Player in the last four games, and if he is benched, Delhi could opt open with Phil Salt, with Sarfaraz Khan slotting in the middle order. And, he could swap with Ishant Sharma or Mukesh Kumar as an Impact sub.